@article { author = {Adli, Fariba and Motallebi Varkani, Abutaleb}, title = {Seeking to Understand the Schools’ Principals of Their Functional and Professional Nature}, journal = {School Administration}, volume = {6}, number = {2}, pages = {19-39}, year = {2018}, publisher = {University of Kurdistan With the Co-operation of The Iranian Educational Administration Association}, issn = {2538-4724}, eissn = {2538-4732}, doi = {}, abstract = {In the last decade, schools’ principals and leadership professionalism, has been the main agenda of educational policy and attention to the quality of schools’ principals and leaders have been priority of educational system. Mangers and leaders pay attention to all school’s issues and they are in charge of the performances of school; they create a positive culture at school, their impact is beyond the boundaries of the school and the success of other systems in creating a sustainable environment depend on their performance. Many countries, including members of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), have held training course in School Leadership. According to these courses, School Leadership should be entrusted to the schools’ principals, so they must have a responsibility and a considerable freedom and independence. In fact, decision making is a task that schools principals should carry out independently. Therefore, higher education degree, passing various training courses and having experience in teaching and managing are absolute necessities for being a school’s principals. However, Iranian school’s principals mostly be chosen from the employees of the Ministry of Education and do not involved in decision making. As finding researches show Iranian school’s principals engage in ordinary tasks such as making sure that, when school finishes, all electronic equipment are off, the laboratory and library door is locked and etc. Our school’s principals are only responsible for the Ministry circulars and do not involve in decision making. As researches mention in 21th century every effort to improve the quality of educational system should begin from school’s principals. Hence the purpose of this study was to identifying and understanding the tasks and activities of schools’ principals to achieve effective educational systems. To understand what the schools’ principals do and how do these activities, this research did qualitative method. Population of research were schools’ principals in Tehran that were selected theoretical sampling method. The tools for collecting data: we interviewed with 16 public schools’ principals. This schools’ principal had Bachelor and master degree. Also, we observed schools (observation without participation). We saw the activities of schools’ principals for a week at per schools. We studied the policies which reflect expectations, roles, and responsibilities of school’s principals and determine the scope of their powers. By observation, interviewing and studying documents, we did triangulation data. To analyze was used qualitative content analysis method. The content analysis of the findings observations, interviews and official documents show our schools’ principals are based on Mintzberg’s 10 Managerial Roles, respectively from high to low, Informational, Interpersonal and Decisional Roles. This schools’ principal was playing important role of decisional less frequently. Also, the content analysis of their job description shows the schools’ principals must perform codes set of Iranian Ministry of Education. Findings show that the appointment conditions of schools’ principals did not reflect the importance and complexity of schools as a unit of analysis. Job description is defined principals as controller not agent. we are facing with principals in our schools that control teachers and pupils’ actions instead of helping them to make decision and they are affected instead of affecting. While school’s principals must take decision about vital subjects, for example increase educational quality, decrease inequality and etc. Schools administers do tasks such as a security guard and a police officer. As security guards, they were treating with teachers and pupils like things, as they were protecting the properties, the facilities, rooms, equipment, news, classified documents even people from damage at their schools. Moreover, they were behaving like a police officer at their schools. They were similar to an officer who supervised to perform the rules of the school. They were performing the rules of educational system and were controlling teachers and pupils at their school. Also, the content analysis of job description of schools’ principals is showed schools’ principals were tasked in a closed system. School’s principals must do everything that central office want to. Weakness emerges in the schools because of schools’ principals do not know management and leadership. Schools’ principals who do not know about administration and management and they do not try for learning how can help to teachers and pupils? Although, management and leadership learning is very important; but our schools’ principals perform it to trial and error method. That is very important problem for our educational system. As our recent research shows Iranian schools’ principals urgently need preparation and training, so we should organize a precise program to prepare them. Teaching and learning are often planed for pupils, students and sometimes for teachers, but this rarely discuss that school or university managers and leaders learn about school principal or do they participate in a training sessions? Our schools’ principals are never taught or trained for management and leadership. Despite this fact that there are disciplines of education and educational administration in Iranian higher education institutions, it seems “managers were born manager” here. Learning leadership is dependent on leadership learning. There are several theories about school’s leadership and management and the relationship between theory and practice of management has been confirmed. However, in our schools, schools’ principals were not taught about managing and leading of schools. Therefore, it is essential to redefine the role of the school’s principals, selection criteria and job description, in order to achieve effective educational system. Also, principals and leadership training courses for schools’ principals will be designed and implemented. Based on the findings of this study, it is suggested to change the existing situation of school principal: "School selection conditions" are reviewed and developed by schools’ principals. The duties of school principals are rewritten according to the management literature and educational leadership. In order to empower managers, leadership training and leadership courses will be held in schools.  }, keywords = {: School Principals Mandate,Job description of School Principal,Professionalism,Management Education,Leadership Training}, url = {https://jsa.uok.ac.ir/article_60942.html}, eprint = {https://jsa.uok.ac.ir/article_60942_3aa9319ac6aee6d2cb3984f3bba32ffb.pdf} }